Good morning, HapiFriends! 👋

Today, we're taking a trip down memory lane to April 25, 1940, when Batman's first-ever comic book issue hit the newsstands, featuring his trusted sidekick Robin and his most notorious enemy, the Joker.

The issue, simply titled Batman #1, was an instant hit, captivating readers with its action-packed storytelling and iconic characters. Batman had been introduced a year earlier in Detective Comics #27, but it wasn't until his own series launched that he truly became a cultural phenomenon.

From that point on, Batman and his supporting cast of characters would become a staple of pop culture, inspiring movies, TV shows, video games, and countless other forms of media.

Alright, let’s put the Batman talk to the side and dive some real-world inspiring stories and uplifting news! 👇

Quote of the Day 🗣

World's Longest Serving Brass Band Player 🎺 

Tom Street, a 95-year-old trombone player from the United Kingdom, has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's longest-serving brass band player. Tom has been playing with Heage Silver Band for 82 years and 332 days, spanning nine decades. He joined the band when he was just 13 years old in 1940, the same year Winston Churchill first became Prime Minister, and has hardly missed a practice session or concert.

Tom’s love for music and dedication to the band is such that he still turns out for band practice twice a week and performs throughout the year around Derbyshire. He plans to help lead his band's local celebration of King Charles' coronation on May 8, and his grandson, who also plays in the band, says without him, the band wouldn't be here today. Street has been awarded a Guinness World Record certificate, and he said he has no plans to stop playing because he loves it too much.

An Unlikely (And Life-Altering) Friendship

Ginny Schrappen is an 80-year-old retired schoolteacher who enjoys solving crossword puzzles in the comfort of her home. She seems like an ordinary grandma, but what most people don't know is that she has a pen pal in a penitentiary. And not just any pen pal, but a man accused of murder.

It all started when a deacon from Ginny’s church handed her a letter from a prisoner who was hoping someone would write back. The prisoner's name was Lamar Johnson, a man serving a life sentence in a Missouri prison. Despite the circumstances, the two struck up a fast friendship, and they corresponded constantly over the next 20 years. Ginny says that she could tell right from the start that there was no way Johnson had committed murder.

Fast forward 28 years later, the state of Missouri confirmed her intuition. After the Midwest Innocence Project got involved and the real killer confessed, Lamar was exonerated and released from prison at 49 years old. He spent the next few weeks doing all the things he couldn't do in prison, including traveling to see one of his best friends for the very first time. He went to Ginny’s house for the first time, where she greeted him with a warm welcome. Lamar said that the greatest gift, though, is the confidence his friend instilled in him.

Fantastic Finds 🔍

Major wind farm in the US. By the end of this year, the first major offshore wind farm in the U.S. off of New York's Long Island is expected to begin operating and generate sufficient electricity to power 70,000 homes.

Hollywood classics for sale. A Hollywood-based auction took place, featuring over 1,400 iconic items from 100 years of pop culture history, including John Travolta's custom-made white suit from "Saturday Night Fever.”

Healthy-ish Starbucks options. A diet expert explains how to pick the healthiest low-calorie Starbucks drinks and lists 13 drinks that you probably didn’t know about.

Trapped cats saved. These 2 cats trapped near a collapsed parking garage in Lower Manhattan were rescued and reunited with their owner.

Hapi Hits 😊

🎵 Donkey’s lullaby. A man rocks a donkey in his chair, singing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

👨‍👧 Father and daughter reunited. With help from strangers on Facebook, a daughter was reunited with her biological father 25 years after they were separated.

🐶 Belly rubs, please. This adorable dog will not take “no” for an answer when his owner won’t give him belly rubs.

👨‍🚒 Let me give you a hand. These firefighters help a 95-year-old man mow his lawn when they drive past and see him struggling.

HapiReview of the Day 🎉

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